


Desensitise

by persistent_pedantry



Series: The Collected Escapades of Minerva and René Galliard IV [5]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-05
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2020-10-17 07:09:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20617025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/persistent_pedantry/pseuds/persistent_pedantry
Summary: An edgy little story I did after wondering if giving Minerva a tragic backstory was necessary.





	Desensitise

**Author's Note:**

> This time, I just wanted to do something edgy, I believe. This was also the time when I realised that there was a simple way to do combat.
> 
> That being said, it was a pretty terrible thing to find out since after copping out on so much combat over time, I now suck at it from a lack of experience.

_"Minerva, do you remember what happened in Reflection Cave?" Minerva nods, looking at René as he brushes lint from the sleeves of his coat. "Yes, you were young back then. We were both young, we didn't know what we were doing." He sighs, looking to Minerva's handiwork with a small smile. "My, how we have both changed."_

She remembers that day vividly. It must have been a good while ago. How old was she? Twelve? Thirteen? She was only a Kirlia at the time. Yes, the world was so bright back then... except for that day, obviously.

That day, her world had been plunged into darkness.

She was running, sprinting, desperately trying to get away. She didn't know what to do. She'll die if she slows down and he knows it. She looks back, seeing he was still on her tail. No, no no no, she's too young for this, she's too WEAK for this. She's a Kirlia, she doesn't even know how to fight humans. She didn't know where Renny was, he stepped into the darkness and disappeared, leaving her to run for her life. She was panting, tears dropping on to the hardened earth of the cavern as he ran after her. He's gaining, her breath catching on tears until she finally

slipped up.

The ground was hard. It hurt. She could hear him. He was panting. He was grinning. She could see his yellowed teeth even in the darkness, blue crystals glimmering: her only light in the darkness. She doesn't want everything to go dark. She pushes away, scrambling to her feet before a heavy boot to the head drives her to the ground. She tried to run away. She dearly, dearly wished she could teleport but he wouldn't give her a moment. She's sobbing. She's trying to move his boot, pushing it away to no avail.

He gripped her neck, lifting his foot to rise her up to eye level. He's grinning at her tears. "You thought you could get away." She did. "You thought you and the kid could get away with Tauros?" They did. "Well, you know what happens to little shits who get too big for their boots?" She did. He did. He squeezed.

He squeezed.

She squirmed.

He grinned.

She pushed.

She sobbed.

She gasped.

She grabbed his arm.

He brushed it off.

She gripped his arm.

She didn't let go.

He pulled her arm.

She didn't let go.

Her eyes grew pink.

The crystals grew dim.

He stiffened.

They fell.

Minerva gasped for air, curling up. He didn't move. He was stiff, like a corpse. She looked over to him, crimson eyes glistening with tears of relief. She... She...

She hears footsteps.

"Minnie! Minerva!" It's Renny. Oh, thank everything, it's Renny. He dropped down, picking her up. "Are you ok?" He asked. She nodded, shivering as she looked at the stiffened man. René looked over. Seconds passed until he paled, placing Minerva down and hurrying over to him, holding a hand to his chest, then his neck, then his wrist, then his chest again. "You..." René choked up, looking to Minerva. "Minerva... pr... promise me you'll never do that again unless you have to. Please. Please just-- just promise me." She... what did she do? Was he sleeping? Was he knocked out? He couldn't have been...

_"PROMISE ME!"_

She stiffened. The shout echoed through the cave. She nodded, tearing up again. With a final look at the man, René picked Minerva up again, trudging away to find the exit. "And... and don't tell anyone about this. Ever."

_Minerva looks down to the patch of dirt as René flattens down the earth with his shovel. "Do you even keep count anymore?" He asks, Minerva looking at him inquisitively. "How many you've killed, Minerva. That first time, you took months to recover from it; as did I, but now... I'm willing to bet you've stopped counting - or perhaps you just don't care at this point?" The Gardevoir purses her lips, silently counting on her fingers for a few moments._

_Eventually, she shrugs._

_It's a bit of both, really._


End file.
